could have been
by savedbybelle
Summary: Our relationship was easy. I felt so close to you in such a short amount of time. It felt like things were too good to be true. [Dani writes Santana a letter. Post-100.]


**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry if you were following my other story hold onto me, starcrossed lover. After everything that's happened on the show I've decided that I'm leaving the fandom and so I won't be updating that fic at all.**

**This is my last hurrah for the Glee fandom, a two part story told from Dani's point of view. I'll be posting the second chapter sometime in the next few days, but most likely on Thursday/Friday.**

**(For anyone confused about the formatting, it's a section of the letter followed by an event.)**

**I hope you guys enjoy.**

* * *

Every day for the past three years, I've been the only one looking out for me. Ever since the day my parents caught me with that girl in their basement, I knew the only person who would ever have my back was me. So I set out for New York, naïve and hopeful, chasing a pipe dream that had less than a one percent chance of working out.

* * *

"Now approaching New York Penn Station," the announcer on the speaker crackled. The train screeched to a halt and jolted each of its passengers awake. Eighteen year old Danielle Torres yawned as she stretched her arms over her head. How long had she been on this train? The three hours from Baltimore seemed longer than usual to the girl leaving her childhood home with a heavy heart.

Dani looked around as the other passengers on the train gathered their things and off boarded the car. She sighed as she glanced at the seat to her left where all of her possessions sat. Eighteen years of life left her with a guitar in its case, a backpack filled with her personal belongings, and a duffle bag full of clothes.

_Here goes nothing_, she thought, as she carried everything out onto the platform. She stepped outside into the afternoon sun and sighed. _So this is where my life starts_.

Dani smiled as she realized she was one step closer to the dream she's had since she was a kid. One day she'd be selling out shows and belting it out with the best of them. There was a certain bounce in her step as she walked down the sidewalk, even though to every other New Yorker on the street she looked both ridiculous and homeless carrying all of her things. She spotted a motel on the corner of an intersection that didn't seem as hectic as the rest of the city did.

_Totally not sketchy_, she mused. _But it'll have to do_. She held her head high as she walked into the front office. Dani was nothing if not confident.

"Hi," she smiles at the young man at the desk. "I'd like a room please." She added a wink for emphasis and the man gave her a goofy smile in return. _Boys are so easy_.

After settling into her room, her stomach growled to remind her that she hadn't eaten in hours. She walked from the bed to the window and pulled the dusty curtains apart. On the opposite corner of the street she spotted a diner with a help wanted sign in the window.

_The Spotlight Diner, huh? Perfect_.

Dani looked into the mirror as she pulled her brown hair into a messy ponytail. She frowned. She'll have to do something about that later.

* * *

For three years I would walk the five blocks from my apartment to the Spotlight, barely scraping up enough tips to even pay for my necessities. I'd watch as starry-eyed dreamers made their ways here, just as eager as I had been in the beginning, only to find frustration and tears in failure and rejection. After only eight months of being at the Spotlight, I had already lost count of the fools who quit and left before they even started. But I guess I was persistent.

* * *

"Another new guy?" Dani asked one of the cooks as she ran a hand through her now blonde hair. A tall, lanky young man with long hair stood next to the diner's manager, Gunther, with a clueless look on his face.

"Yep," John, she remembers his name is, replied. "Third one this month." Dani crossed her arms and let out a small chuckle.

"How long so you think this one will last?"

"I give him two weeks," John answered as he handed Dani a five dollar bill. "This one looks like a crier."

Dani just give him a loud laugh in return as she headed into the break room to get everyone else's bets in. It had been a tradition at the diner since before Dani had started working there. Every new employee was usually a small town kid with big city dreams, hoping to get their shot at stardom. And just about every one of them would quit after a few weeks of constant rejection from fame.

When she finished gathering the other employees' bets, she dropped them into a nameless tip jar that sat next to a jar with Dani's name and daily tips in it. Marge, one of the older waitresses, walked up to Dani with crossed arms and stared at the shelf.

"You know, Dani," she began. "We had a jar up here for you too."

"I'm not surprised," Dani smiled amusedly. Marge rested one of her arms on the shorter girl's shoulder. "How long did you think I'd be here for, Margie?"

"Two days," the woman replied honestly. Dani giggled. "John actually bet six months. 'She's a fighter,' he said. And, well, it's been about eight months now."

Marge walked across the break room and pulled a jar out of a cabinet. She walked back to Dani and placed it on the table in front of them.

"The rest of us didn't think you could do it, so most of us put twenty bucks or more in here. We thought it'd be easy money." Dani's eyes widened in surprise.

"That's insane!" she marveled. "There's got to be almost three hundred dollars in there."

"Well, we've been adding to it every time you'd prove us wrong," Marge chuckled. "It's yours, kid. You've earned it."

"Are you serious? Thank you so much, oh my gosh." Dani laughed as tears began forming in her eyes. Marge pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks for proving us wrong, Dani. You're a good girl."

Marge walked out of the break room, leaving Dani speechless with both her tip jar and the bet jar the staff had reserved for her. A giant smile was plastered on her face as she clocked out and walked back into the busy diner. She just laughed as she watched a girl, who had started just the week before, cry and yell that she quit.

Dani basically skipped the entire five blocks back to her apartment.

* * *

I couldn't understand it; neither could the rest of the staff who made their livings here without chasing some stupid dream. But I stayed and I worked and I slaved. Some nights I would get lucky and land a gig or find an open mic night and just go for it. The feeling of performing was so exhilarating and I didn't mind the fact that the next morning I'd be bussing tables for ungrateful customers. I thought that I was happy.

* * *

Dani stood atop the bar stage with her guitar strapped to her back as she talked to the band about to accompany her.

"So for the last song, it's basically A-B-A-B-C-B B in F sharp. It's all in four-four, except for section C. It'll go into a six-eight in half time, like this."

She pulled the guitar from behind her and gave them a quick demonstration.

"Got it?" The guys nodded in understanding. Dani beamed. She had finally turned twenty-one and could legally play in bars. The cute bartender Dani had flirted with earlier in the night walked over with a tray of shots for each of them, flashing a dazzling smile to Dani. Dani smirked. She'd have to get her number later, she noted as they all downed their shots.

"All right, let's do this!"

The lights of the bar dimmed as the spotlight was pointed toward the middle of the stage. The show manager walked into the spotlight with a microphone and placed it on the microphone stand.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced. "Please welcome back, Dani Torres."

The roar of applause from the audience sent Dani into an adrenaline rush as she walked up to the mic. She turned and gave a nod to the band.

"One, two, a-one two three four!"

Dani had put on her entire rock star persona complete with a thousand watt smile and radiated confidence. Each beat of the kick drum added power to her strum and the crowd cheered louder than she had expected. Her voice echoed from the speakers into the crowded room where the audience was packed tightly in front of the stage.

_This is amazing_.

She could feel the eyes of every single person in the building watching her. To Dani, it was the greatest feeling in the world. With every lyric she let her emotions pour out and she felt a connection with every last person in the room.

As the song came to a close, Dani belted out the last few lines of the chorus, bringing cheers and applause to her ears.

Even after the spotlight dimmed and she walked off the stage, her heart was still beating as fast as ever. People from the audience fought their way towards her to congratulate her and shake her hand.

"Thank you guys so much," she replied to a young couple who were two of the last to leave the bar as it was closing. She sat on the edge of the stage, basking in the glory and feeling of a performance after-high.

"Great job tonight, guys," she congratulated the band who were busy packing up their gear. She shook hands with each of them. "I hope I can play with you guys again soon."

She sighed happily as she noticed the bar manager walking towards her with an outstretched hand.

"I really enjoyed your set tonight, kid." Dani took his hand and gave it a firm shake. "You're welcome back anytime."

"That means a lot to me, thank you," she beamed. As he walked away, her eyes met the eyes of the cute bartender. Dani smirked and winked at her. After all, Dani Torres is nothing if not confident.

* * *

I remember the day you first walked in, confident and demanding and take no prisoners. I liked that in a girl. Apparently Gunther did too because he hired you on the spot. I wondered if you were just like the rest of them. I wondered how long you'd stay.

* * *

Dani watched from the door frame of the break room as she heard the unmistakable ring of the bell tied to the diner's front entrance. Her breath caught in her throat as a beautiful girl walked in with enough confidence in her posture to rival Dani's own.

"Hey bimbo!" the girl barked at a red-headed new hire Dani hadn't taken the time to learn the name of. "Where's your manager at?"

The red head scurried off to find Gunther and Dani found herself intrigued by this mystery girl. John look up from the table in the break room and glanced first at the girl then at Dani.

"Keep it in your pants, girl!" he called out. Dani turned towards him to roll her eyes and stick her tongue out at him. When she turned back around, the girl stood near the counter speaking with Gunther.

"I work at the Coyote Ugly as a bartender already, so obviously I don't need this, but you look like you need help. So I'm here out of the goodness of my heart and I'm happy to offer my services." Dani could hear the sarcasm dripping from mystery girl's voice as she faux-curtsied with a smug look on her face. Dani smiled.

_This is getting interesting_.

"And if you decline," the girl continued, "you'll be missing out on the best thing Lima Heights has to offer." She ended her spiel and tilted her head to the side, hand on her hip, and eyes narrowed at Gunther.

Dani bit her lip as her grin grew wider.

_Oh, this is **definitely** getting more interesting._

John walked over to her and leaned on the opposite side of the door frame, a grimace filled with disgust on his face. The pair watched as Gunther enthusiastically shook the girl's hand and gave her a uniform and apron.

"Old perv," John muttered, shaking his head before turning towards Dani. "How long do you think this one will stay for?"

Dani didn't hear him, too busy to pay attention as she stared at mystery girl's ass while she walked out of the diner. John sighed in exasperation and walked back into the break room. Dani took no notice.

"I wonder how long she'll last," she thought aloud.

* * *

**I hope you guys enjoyed part one!**

**I've already finished writing part two, I just need to find time to beta and post it.**

**Until then, bye!**


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